By their nature, Japanese gardens are beautiful in their simplicity, choice of colour and style. They seem at one with nature, emitting their peaceful aura. Subtitled, 'The Japanese Gardens of North America', 'Quiet Beauty' captures the essence of the Japanese garden in the USA. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have visited three of the gardens in this book. A fourth, I would have visited had it been open when I was there. Another I have visited, in San Diego, is not included in the book. I can say that the photographs of David M Cobb in this book are outstanding and reason alone for purchasing the book. One of the gardens I have visited three times, and it ranks amongst my top ten of gardens I have visited. It is one I love dearly and Cobb's photos capture it perfectly. I am talking of the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, almost at the heart of San Francisco. If I lived there, I would spend part of each week in this garden, part of each day if I could. I have been at peace there, when it eluded me elsewhere. It is the oldest extant public Japanese garden in the States. Learn about its history as with the many other gardens in this book. I had no lasting impression of my visit to the Huntington, my mind remembers other exciting black plants, so this is a wonderful jog to the memory. My walk to Portland Japanese Garden from the zoo is etched in my memory as well as the American that seemed puzzled that I was walking the miles partly through Hoyt Arboretum to get to the garden. I love all the gardens in this book. The text is highly readable, informative and most enjoyable. This is a beautiful book and one I would recommend to anyone interested in Japanese gardens outside Japan.